How many times have you perused a dessert menu, curious about but befuddled by the after-dinner wines that crowd the bottom or back pages? Dessert wines are some of the most complex and expressive wines in the world, and Port is king of the class. Wine history is often tedious and arcane, but Port’s heritage, a story of geopolitics and innovation, is too interesting and important to pass over.

The Portuguese have been producing wine since the first century B.C., when the Romans planted vines throughout the Iberian Peninsula. By the middle of the 17th century, more than 1 million cases of Portuguese wine were being shipped each year down the Douro River to the port city of Oporto, from which the wine takes it name. From there it was distributed throughout Portugal and exported to Britain and the Netherlands.

In 1678, Britain declared war on France. One unintended result of the British Navy’s blockade of French ports was the end of importation of the French wine that the English public (and, perhaps more importantly, royalty) depended on. Britain turned to its longtime ally Portugal to slake its significant thirst.

Although centuries old at the time, the Portuguese wine industry was markedly inferior to that of France. So British importers took matters in to their own hands. They traveled far inland up the Douro in search of the best vines in Portugal and discovered heavier, more complex wines than the ones from the coast. Fearing spoilage during the long, hot trip to the markets of England, they added generous amounts of brandy to the barrels to stabilize the wine. The addition of the higher-alcohol spirit not only preserved the wine but resulted in a much sweeter product. The English (and French, via a new black market) enthusiastically embraced the syrupy elixir.

English-controlled Port production in Portugal continued to expand to meet demand without incident until the 1730s, when the industry suffered a major scandal. In an effort to increase profits, some vintners began fortifying poor-quality wines with sugar and elderberry and selling it as Port. With prices dropping due to public outcry, the Portuguese government intervened. It broke up the controlling British Port houses and established regulations on production standards, quantities and exchange rates. The government even uprooted all of the vineyards and elderberry trees outside the official growing region.

Port popularity crested in the late 19th century, when hundreds of millions of gallons were being exported annually to Britain alone. This time of Victorian elegance and decadence conjures images of men with muttonchops retiring to the study after dinner to share cigars and a decanter of Port while women shipped sherry in the drawing room.

As Port consumption boomed, vineyard owners also adopted a new technology to stave off root disease: They grafted old Portuguese vines to American rootstock that was immune to the disease.

Generally, Ports fall in to four categories:

• Ruby Port is the most extensively produced type of Port. After fermentation, it is stored in concrete or steel tanks to prevent oxidation and preserve its rich color. It is aged for about three to five years from a blend of two or three different vintages. Ruby is classically paired with full-flavored cheeses like Gouda and Brie. Chocolate is also a rewarding complement.

• Tawny Port is made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels, exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. As a result, they gradually mellow to a golden-brown color, thus the name. Contact with the wood imparts nutty, earthy flavors. Try Tawny with crème brulee, and you’ll never order the dessert without it.

• Vintage Port is made entirely from the grapes of a declared “vintage” year — years when conditions are especially favorable to the production of a fine and lasting wine. Vintage ports are aged in barrels for a maximum of two and a half years before bottling, and generally require another 10 to 30 years of bottle aging before reaching a proper drinking age.

• Finally, there is Late Bottled Vintage (known as LBV). This was originally wine that was set aside as Vintage Port but left in the barrel for rather longer than had been planned. LBVs are the product of a single year’s harvest and provide a hint of the experience of drinking a Vintage Port without the decades-long wait.

Port — a wine of Portuguese provenance, invented by the British, inspired by a war with France, and saved by American roots. Try a sip and savor the taste of history.

Derek LaVallee is vice president, U.S. Public Affairs Practice at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and a certified wine buff. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it